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Anyone ?

What branch of engineering? What Grade? Graduate? Chartered etc

I am just intending this blog to be a general descussion on engineering and engineers in general. Do people think engineers are well paid, under paid? I am Not looking for anyone to quote any figures or anything. An awful lot of work is going abroad, Will this have a knock on effect on the earning potential we have as engineers?

I hear wire eroder operators get paid a bit ;-)

And what about IT people ?

There won't be any engineers left soon. The government is shutting down anything remotely to do with engineering. Ask Tony Blair why his government would not give Stone Manganese Bronze a £5 million bridging loan to tide them through a bad patch? One of only 5 companies in the world which could make large ships propellors (and the best one). Or why he wouldn't give the contract for Britian's new aircraft carrier and assault ships to a home shipyard? He gave the contract to the French. It makes me sick to my stomach.

Used to do a lot of work in Stone Manganese when they were making props. Used to love watching then make the moulds by hand in the pits dug into the floor!
They are now made in China and finished off here in Birkenhead. Still supply bits to them

Agh that was casting the old way!

I've been in IT for over 15yrs... No complaints at all (touch wood)

there has been more manufacturing jobs lost during the 13 yeras of this goverment than what was lost during Magy Thatchers years in government. cut open Blair, Brown and the gang and all you will see is EU

The pillocks actually think that the be all and end all is the services industry. That's what happens when you get governments full of people who have not had to live in the real world. Someone needs to have a look at their C.V.s. Now they are putting people in charge of things who haven't got a clue either. No C.A.A. top execs have any idea of the air travel industry, the defence people know nothing about defence. The N.H.S. hierarchy have never worked in the medical professions and haven't a clue, you could go on for ever. This is what happens when you let consultant firms run the the show. We're goosed let's face it.

I'd imagine that because two thirds of a company's operating costs are typically employee related (wages etc). The cost of labour is a very big factor. Consider a company in a County that doesn't pay sick pay, has less (or none) paid annual leave, ia less concerened about the cost of health and safety and most importantly pays a lot less; all these factors would bring the labour cost right down.

Most smaller engineers, like where you work Nigel don't do a massive amount of foreign trading and rely on local business. Events such as the close of MG Rover, GEC and Cammel Laird all had a huge knock on effect to their suppliers when they shut.

Unions are another factor and did influence the speed in which the uk motor industry could automate and remain competitive in the 70's. This was a contributing factor to the closure or relocation of many of the home motor manufacturers. This stuff pre-dated Thatcherism.

I'd like to hope that one of the key strengths of Uk manufacturing is the quality and specialist skill. If you want mass produced crap then Britain aint the place.

Look at all the money wasted in local govenments, the expenses scandal etc.

Whilst I generally don't disagree with your post, I think we have the Japanese to thank for giving us a kick up the backside. Up to the Japanese getting serious in the UK car market, many of our cars (and French and other cars) were rubbish in many respects, the metal rusted too easily, suspension joints were routinely changed at many MOTs, oil seals were almost unnecessary for the difference they made and clutch changes were routine.

The Japanese didn't sit on their bums, relax and gloat like the UK has a tendency to do, they have continued to improve the quality.

Whilst historically the UK management had too little involvement in decisions, I think now as you stated above, they have too much influence compared to their knowledge. Consultants often try and pin down to absolute figures with no engineering experience, so if you tell them it is going to take 35 minutes to change the brakes - they want every brake-change to take 35 minutes with total disregard to reality. This is because they want to transfer responsibility (ie blame, a word they always say doesn't exist!!!) downwards to the little man that can't argue back.

We need management, we need the workforce and we need unions to protect the little man (and sometimes the bigger men). The unions are very weak at the moment, many companies/managers are abusing the workforce. How many times are workers shouted at, sworn at or belittled, this is harassment which is illegal. How many people are working extra time for no pay - which is illegal, there is nothing wrong with good-will and flexibilty, as long as its voluntary and not coerced.